Washington (CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday to express unusually strong U.S. objections to new Israeli construction in disputed territory in East Jerusalem.

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Clinton told the Israeli leader "the United States considers the announcement a deeply negative signal about Israel's approach to the bilateral relationship" with the United States.

"His action had undermined trust and confidence in the peace process and in America's interests," Crowley said, describing the discussion.

The Israeli announcement came during Vice President Joe Biden's visit this week to Israel. It complicated U.S. efforts to set up so-called proximity talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, the latest attempt to nudge the two sides back toward talking directly.

"The secretary said she could not understand how this happened particularly in light of the United State's strong commitment to Israel's
security and she made it clear the Israeli government needed to demonstrate not just through words but in specific actions that they are committed to this relationship and to the peace process," Crowley said.

Crowley, speaking at his Friday afternoon briefing at the State Department, said the U.S. objected to the Israeli construction announcement "not just in timing but in substance."

soundoff(37 Responses)

Peter E

We should just tell Israel: contribute to the peace process, or we will stop backing you with our army. Afterall, Israel should fight its own wars. I'm tired of Israel inciting war, only to hide behind us, and demand that we spend hundreds of billions of dollars of our taxpayer money, and spill the blood of thousands of American soldiers because they are too vane to make concessions on land that is not even theirs! It is THEIR wars, they need to step up to the plate!

March 12, 2010 04:09 pm at 4:09 pm |

Victim of GOP Taliban

Thank you Hilary. Good job, we need to pull the plug on $ to Israel unless they get serious about a Peace Deal and reparations to the Palestinians. It's only in Israel's long-term security to do so regardless.
So of you baffoons are completely ignorant. Clinton is 100% right and I applaud Obama's sincere plan to make America more fair in dealing with the Palestinians.

March 12, 2010 04:21 pm at 4:21 pm |

Auntie Sam Height

Why does Clinton even bother? Jesus Christ himself couldn't please these people–and they KILLED him for it.

March 12, 2010 04:30 pm at 4:30 pm |

Jim

This administration not only abandoned American princilpes, but they are abandoning our closest friends too. We need to retire this group of clowns in 2012 and put them into history like we had to do with Carter and file it under American voting blunders.

FYI – I actually voted for Obama, a vote I regret.

March 12, 2010 04:35 pm at 4:35 pm |

CHANGE.COM

Cut off the US money and Israel will talk peace quickly. It's about time to do so. Billions of aid to Israel annually and they won't listen to US objectives? Keep the money in the US and let's build the US economy and put Americans to work. Let Israel cater for itself.

March 12, 2010 04:48 pm at 4:48 pm |

jlannefeld

Let's be frank, as long as the Israelis have such a powerful lobby in the United States, home to the largest number of powerful and wealthy Jews in the world, our foreign policy will never reflect a balance and the will of the American public will continue to be thwarted.

March 12, 2010 05:05 pm at 5:05 pm |

Joel Miller

This Israeli government is not just trying to play the US, more importantly, they're unnecessarily provoking more bloodshed. They're own people need to stop them just the same way we stopped Jim Crow in America.

March 12, 2010 05:11 pm at 5:11 pm |

Shelli Joye

The first Bush cut off aid to Israel when they insisted on continuing to colonize the Palestinian land. Obama should do the same.
We can't afford to subsidize an apartheid government.

March 12, 2010 05:41 pm at 5:41 pm |

JonDie

Israel = South Africa during apartheid

In fact, Israel supported the racist, apartheid government of South Africa to the very end.

March 12, 2010 06:33 pm at 6:33 pm |

valwayne

Poor Hillary! What a thankless job shilling for Obama. The Israelis know better than to trust Obama, so its hard to see how to get them to cooperate!

March 12, 2010 06:45 pm at 6:45 pm |

A keen observer

It is about time the United States stands up to Israel. They have been thumbing their noses at us much too long.

Israel would not exist without U.S. protection.

March 12, 2010 07:09 pm at 7:09 pm |

Texas Jack

Hows that affect you Hillary, melonhead, and Biden, Reid, Pelosi. I say the next time they come to Irasel take them Irasel and put them into the lion's den or tell them to get off the fence and either back you or take sides with Palestine. Irasel backed by England will succeed while all other anti christians will fall. It has been written and it is God's law. Go home Hillary and take up the cry again for a God Fearing America not this anti-christ nation that we have fallen to.